Arizona Cardinals’ All-Time Sack Leaders

Freddie Joe Nunn

Simeon Rice

The Cardinals’ football franchise has been around a very
long time—beginning play in 1920 in the APFA as the Chicago Cardinals, joining
the NFL in 1922, and moving to St. Louis in 1960. They then moved to Phoenix in 1988 and were the Phoenix Cardinals
until becoming just the Arizona Cardinals in 1994. The Cardinals won two championships, both while in Chicago, and
they made it to the title game once in the Super Bowl era, after the 2008
season, when they lost to the Steelers.
The Cardinals have been known mostly for their offense, but have boasted
some solid defensive players along the way.
Here is a short list of the team’s all-time sack leaders, keeping in
mind that sacks became an official statistic in 1982:

Freddie Joe Nunn (66.5)—Linebacker/defensive end
Freddie Joe Nunn played most of his career with the Cardinals, beginning in St.
Louis in 1985 and playing for the franchise in Phoenix as well, until
1993. Nunn leads the Cardinals all-time
in sacks with 66.5, and his best overall season was arguably 1988. That year, Nunn had a career high 14 sacks,
and added 2 fumble recoveries and 53 tackles.

Simeon Rice (51.5)—Defensive end Simeon Rice played
for the Cardinals from 1996 to 2000, and he ranks second in franchise history
with 51.5 sacks. Rice had what was
possibly his best season in 1999 while wearing an Arizona uniform. That year, he had a career high 16.5 sacks,
and added 5 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 38 tackles and 11 assists.

Curtis Greer (50.5)—Defensive end Curtis Greer played
his entire career in St. Louis, from 1980 to 1987, and he ranks third in team
history with 50.5 sacks. Greer had his
best season in 1983, when he had a career high 16 sacks, adding one fumble
recovery as well.

Ken Harvey (47.5)—Linebacker Ken Harvey played for
Phoenix from 1988 to 1993 and he ranks fourth in Cardinals’ history with 47.5
sacks. Harvey had a career high 13.5
sacks with Washington in 1994, and his career high with Phoenix was 10 sacks in
1990. But Harvey’s best overall season
might have been 1989, when he had 7 sacks, but a career high 120 tackles.

Eric Swann (45.5)—Defensive lineman Eric Swann played
for the Cardinals most of his career, from 1991 to 1999, and he ranks fifth in
franchise history with 45.5 sacks.
Swann had arguably his best season in 1995, one of two years he made the
Pro Bowl. That year, he had a career
high 8.5 sacks, and added 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 45 tackles and
8 assists.